My Lady's Temptation

Rating:
Summary: Romance, Mystery, Intrigue, Murder, Revenge, Passion
Review: This book has it all, including a setting in Medieval times. Ms.Hampton has done a masterful job of creating her characters. Elianne and Josce are wonderful. One cannot help but feel sympathy for Adelm as a victim of the villian,Reiner.
You will like this book whether you are an avid Medieval Romance reader or if you just like to read. Everything is perfect.

Rating:
Summary: The second in the series ...
Review: This is the second book in the series. In this story Josce must search out and "avenge" the death of his father. While he is the recognized bastard son of his father there are still many who don't want to recognize him. The herorine in this story is Elianne who's father is the sherrif in the area where Josce's father was killed. She is basically like a slave to her father in the fact that he doesn't have any money to give her a dowery and expects her to do whatever he wants to have done, whether she agrees with it or not. In fact he expects her to act as a spy and even "seduce" Josce if need be. But, she can't believe that is what he wants her to do and goes about things the way she normally does, but manages to fall in love with Josce.

Rating:
Summary: The second in the series ...
Review: This is the second book in the series. In this story Josce must search out and "avenge" the death of his father. While he is the recognized bastard son of his father there are still many who don't want to recognize him. The herorine in this story is Elianne who's father is the sherrif in the area where Josce's father was killed. She is basically like a slave to her father in the fact that he doesn't have any money to give her a dowery and expects her to do whatever he wants to have done, whether she agrees with it or not. In fact he expects her to act as a spy and even "seduce" Josce if need be. But, she can't believe that is what he wants her to do and goes about things the way she normally does, but manages to fall in love with Josce.

Rating:
Summary: insightful and realistic Medieval romance
Review: Though bandits killed his father and stepsisters, Josce FitzBaldwin blames the Knabwell Sheriff Reiner du Hommet for the dastardly deed. His stepmother Lady Beatrice Haydon obtains a vow of vengeance from the grieving and guilty feeling Josce. Josce and Beatrice ride into Knabwell Castle to ostensibly bring the bodies home, but really seeking revenge. Reiner invites Josce to stay at the castle to the shock of his daughter Elianne. Even more stunning Josce accepts the invitation.

Josce and Elianne are attracted to one another, but he does not trust the daughter of the man who he believes killed his sire while she mistrusts any male after the schemes where her father always used her as a disposable pawn. Josce quickly pushes marriage between them but is he wedding his enemy's daughter out of a need for vengeance or has somehow love entered the relationship of these star-crossed lovers? That is the question as far as Elianne is concerned because she knows she loves Josce.

Medieval romance fans wanting a complete feel for the era will find MY LADY'S TEMPTATION as the right read. The story line is filled with vivid descriptions of the period especially the role of single women as pawns to be used, misused, and discarded as necessary. Josce is a tormented antihero struggling between his vow to his stepmother and his split feelings of wanting to hate and love the offspring of the sheriff. Though the villain is hard to comprehend his logic Denise Hampton provides her audience with a darker but fuller picture that those medieval aficionados who demand total realism will relish.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: insightful and realistic Medieval romance
Review: Though bandits killed his father and stepsisters, Josce FitzBaldwin blames the Knabwell Sheriff Reiner du Hommet for the dastardly deed. His stepmother Lady Beatrice Haydon obtains a vow of vengeance from the grieving and guilty feeling Josce. Josce and Beatrice ride into Knabwell Castle to ostensibly bring the bodies home, but really seeking revenge. Reiner invites Josce to stay at the castle to the shock of his daughter Elianne. Even more stunning Josce accepts the invitation.

Josce and Elianne are attracted to one another, but he does not trust the daughter of the man who he believes killed his sire while she mistrusts any male after the schemes where her father always used her as a disposable pawn. Josce quickly pushes marriage between them but is he wedding his enemy's daughter out of a need for vengeance or has somehow love entered the relationship of these star-crossed lovers? That is the question as far as Elianne is concerned because she knows she loves Josce.

Medieval romance fans wanting a complete feel for the era will find MY LADY'S TEMPTATION as the right read. The story line is filled with vivid descriptions of the period especially the role of single women as pawns to be used, misused, and discarded as necessary. Josce is a tormented antihero struggling between his vow to his stepmother and his split feelings of wanting to hate and love the offspring of the sheriff. Though the villain is hard to comprehend his logic Denise Hampton provides her audience with a darker but fuller picture that those medieval aficionados who demand total realism will relish.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: This one's a keeper!
Review: When Josce FitzBaldwin, bastard son of a nobleman, rides into Knabwell to avenge his father's and two young stepsister's deaths, he has no idea of the web of betrayal, deceit and greed he'll be facing. Neither does he expect to fall in love -- with the daughter of the man he suspects is protecting the others who killed his family.

Elianne du Hommet is the destitute daughter of the sheriff of Knabwell -- a greedier, more selfish man you would be hard put to find. There is no love lost between the two and Elianne, with her own suspicions, agrees to help Josce and his stepmother in their quest to uncover the truth of their family's murders. After all, what else can be done to her? Thanks to her father, she is no longer welcome at the local priory and is near to being homeless.

Elianne is a strong, prideful character, aware she cannot have what she wants, but that doesn't stop her from falling in love, even though that path leads to danger. Josce is a most honorable, compassionate man intent on his duty, and the epitome of a romance hero. Secondary characters will make you laugh, cry, and tear your hair out. Especially Sheriff du Hommet whom I wanted to string up by his toenails!

MY LADY'S TEMPTATION is an intriguing, fast-paced novel filled with suspense and treachery. The climactic ending will leave readers flipping pages as fast as they can, only to find themselves hoping there will be another book in this series.

Denise Hampton hits her stride with MY LADY'S TEMPTATION. Reminiscent of her writing as Denise Domning, I highly recommend this spin-off of THE WARRIOR'S DAMSEL. Don't miss this top notch tale of love and its incredible power to beat all odds.